Traffic model road test

A traffic model based on the count of vehicles and pedestrians on downtown streets was demonstrated Sept. 12 for the City Council.

Council members gave their opinions on proposed traffic modifications derived from the model, but took no other action.

The model, a computerized, speeded-up, virtual simulation of traffic conditions, was commissioned by the city and conducted under summer-time conditions, considered the worst-case scenario. It will be used to analyze the impacts on traffic by proposed projects, as well as provide keys to traffic management.

“We presented the model to the Parking, Traffic and Circulation Committee and the Planning Commission and we have come up with 21 considerations — we are not calling them recommendations,” city Planner Monica Tuchscher said.

Considerations ranged from modifications to Laguna Canyon Road to adding another south-bound lane at the Broadway-Forest Avenue intersection to converting Ocean Avenue to all one-way, south bound, and prohibiting left turns off of Park Avenue onto the Third Street Hill.

“We ran all the considerations through the model, but some of them need further work,” Tuchscher said.

The scope of work done by RFB Consulting was revised from the original contract approved in the summer of 2003 for the preparation of a traffic and parking management plan for the Downtown Specific Plan Area.

The council expanded the contract in August 2004 to include pedestrian data. Based on input from the commission and the parking, traffic and circulation committee, the council amended the contract in January, 2005 to the preparation of a summer-condition, delay-based, traffic analysis model and simulation model and the preparation of considerations of existing conditions downtown.

In March 2006, the Planning Commission received the results of the traffic model and proposed to discuss possible traffic, parking and circulation improvements in two workshops, held May 17 and June 21.

The workshops resulted in the 21 considerations presented to the council.

City Manager Ken Frank, who said he personally visited some of the “consideration” sites to observe the potential effects of the proposals, offered opinions.

For instance, Frank said No. 21 wasn’t feasible, because it involved the city buying the vacant lot on the northeast corner of Glenneyre and Legion streets.

Frank will review the comments and work with traffic consultant Bob Matson of RRF, the parking and traffic committee, and the planning commission to hone the council’s proposals.